Automatic train-pipe coupling.



fv. s. DURBIN.

AUTOMATIC TRAIN PIPE COUPLING.

Patented July 4, 1916.v

APPLICATION FILED MAR. l9|5 FEE V. S..DURBIN.

' Aurommc mm PIPE couPuN.- n l APPLICATION FILED MAIIn I I9I5- PatentedJuly4 v" s. DURBIN.

AUTOMATIC TRAIN PIPE COUPLING.

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4 SHEETS-SHEET a.

PPLIATION FILED MR- In I9I5.

`III Il.

- v."s..nuRB1N. -AuToMATlc TRAIN PIPEouPLING.

` APPLICATION FILED MAR. I, 1915. A 1,1 89,801 wanted .my 4, 1916;

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i To all 'LU/wm 'it 'may concern .Be it known that I, Vo'iAw S.Dinmiiv,"a

citizen of the United States,residing in the city of St. Louis and Statoof. Missouri, have finvented new and useful Improvements"in-Automatic"Train-Pipe Couplings, of `whichv lthe following is aspecification.

.This invention relates kto certainjnew and4 l usefulA improvements linautomatic; train $.10 pipe couplings, and has for its general ob-lA jectto simplify the construction of an ap- 1 paratus of this character,andat the 'Same' time to increase the efficiency thereof by i rinsuringreliability in operation4 under all`4 15,noriii'al conditions otservice.

The inventionjrelates particularly to iinprovenients in the form oftrain pipecou-A Afplin-g described and illustrated in my alv lowedapplication, No. 740,313, filed Janiii ary, 1913, and has' for itsspeciic'vobjectsf to provide an improved manner `of Ysupe porting thecoupling members; to provide y f anv improved means for jactuating thejvlockg' .ing;m ehailisiii'; Vlto provide improved means, 25. fordetachably securingA the hosepipe nip,-`v` yples on the'coupling-heads;- and to'"end ,iini-y i v.provenient in the manner oflmounting the *jcouplingheads on the rplunger lofthe cou ."plingfsoas'to render-them self-adjusting..r Other objects ofthe invention ite-lateto details' of construction andto combinations and. operation ofpaiitallofivliich will be more clearly understood from. the detaileddescription following: l

g 1n the accompanying dra\vi'ng's,-Figure 1 is. a view in side elevationshowing myfinj vention supported from the ordinary couplings of a car;Fig. 2 isafview', partlyin plany and'partly in 'horizontal section,show- 40 ing tivo coupling-heads in? coupled relation,

A fthe section being takentl1rough one of the `coupling-m'enibers andits plunger; Fig 3 is alongitudinal sectional view of the parts Shoi'vn,in Fig. 2; Fig.`4.- is aview in .front elevation, or aface view, o f oneof the cou Q f pling-ineinbers; Fig. 5 is avieiv partlyin rear elevationand partly in section ofthe same; Fig. 6V is a fragmentary viewvinrearelevation on an enlarged scale'showing one" -liose-pipe nipple inposition on the rear face vof the couplingfinernber and a second nip-I,ple removed, and 4also illustratinga securing lmeans for preventingthe locking-ring'y usedinconnecting the nipple to the cou-r`-r'p1ingfineinber from Working loose; Fig.7

`is a sectionalI view taken on the line 7-+7 ofl Specification 4of*lLetters retient;v I n den'sed steam'froni the steam pipe system.

AReferring''novv-to these drawings,`the nu- Inerals l, v2,indicate,'generally, tWo inter- Y Fig Fig. 8 is a fragmentary, brokempc;

tional vieiv 'taken substiinti'a'lly on' the wline tion thelockingmeclianisrn illustrated in Fig: Grand Fig. 'Sis-'a fragmentary,longitudinalysectional View, on the saine scalelas ineans for permittingthe escape' of cony atented.July-4',1916.` Appncanon'ied March l1, 1915.'ser'yiaiinl 111"49 `7` l' 8,-8 'of Fig.' 6,'and showing in side elevaiFig.'vr G, 'illiistratingfan improved.4 automatic locked'car-couplings,and the numerals 34, i. two, train pipe coup1ing-heads,` 'ea'cli ofwhich is vacljusta'blyl mounted on a plunger 5., 6, resp.ective'lyl`rv`the coupling-heads 3, 11, andthe parts connected thereto aref iidentical`vin'`co'nstruction, a description of L one will answerequally"well fortlie'otl'ier'. Referring particularly to Figs'. l to 5,4`the numeral 7indicates a bracket which is .prof

vided on opposite sides with a` .diagonallyL -vcured to. the under sidesofthecaii-couplings 'A1, 2,as illustrated in Fig. 1: Eaclibifaffket 7 i.is constructed to besec'ured byvframe inem# bers (not shown) to the`cai' body, inthe manner indicated in my application afoi'e-I said, suchmanner of lmounting being used lon passenger cars. Each of the couplingvlieads, 41, has projecting from its front 12, and at.its otherI side` isprovided with c yAn,'importantfeatureof the ypresent in# the hose-pipeconnectors, or nipples,i`n the coupling heads f Each offtlie couplingvheads provided with an apertured'gboss 14 i 1in whichvis securedtlieenipple 15, of the sig# `face, at one.' side of 'its center, aAprojection an opening 13l to receive a CorrespendingfproJection 12 onthe-opposite coupling-liead.

V vention relates to, the manner of securing.

nal-pipe;` with an., apertui'ed boss 16 lin,

.which secured the nipplel( of the traine pipe;. and with an .aperturedboss' 18v in which is secui'edthe nipple 19,1of. the steam-ji l05nipples 15, 17 and 19 in placebeing substanl pipe.y The manner kofsecuring-each ofthe tially thesaine7 I will describe the consti-no1 f.tion by Wliichtliisis accomplishedin con-A ...nection Withtlieapertured boss.l8 and the :nipple .19,i1lustrated yin Figs. 7 `to 9.'Formed integral ivitli'ftlie boss 18, and lo.r y

cated onopposite sides thereof, respectively,

are two ears :20, cach, oi" which has a recess 21 providing a shoulder.22 extending par- The nip- .ple 19 is in the form of an elbowf and hasits outer end portion iBS- suitably shaped to receive and retain the endof a hose-pipe,'

in the usual manner. and its oppositeend portion, 2l. straight. forinsertion in the aperture ot' the boss 1S. and provided with an annularshoulder 25 l'or engaging the outer edge oi said boss.

The numeral 2G indicates a locking-ringwhich is provided on itsperiphery at opposite sides, resina-tively. with an integral lugr QThaving a cam-surl'zue. or inclined tace 29. ada|)ted to engage behindthe shoulder 2:2 ot' the ears 120( the inner tace ol` the shoulder 2:?being inclined to correspond with the incline ot' the surface 2H. Thelocking-ring E2G is also provided with a recess` 25) to enable it topass over a boss 2i on the nipple, the purpose ot' which will presentlyappear. In securing the nipple 19 in position on the. couplingdicad, thestraight portion 2t is inserted in the aperture of the boss 1S, the

ring 26 is inserted over the nipple and.

moved into the recess 21, the recess Q9 passing over the boss 29". andthe rear face of said ring engaging the annular shoulder E25 ot thenipple; the. ring is then turned so that the cam-surfaces 28 engage theinner :tace of the. shoulders 22 and force the annular shoulder 9.5iinto firm engagement with themuter tace ol thel boss 18, and by the fritional engagement. of the lugs 2T with the shoulders 22 will lock thenipple in such position. In order to prevent the ring 2G fromworking-loose I provide on the camfaeo of one ot' the lugs 2T a seriesof teeth 30 and secure. on the. outer end of one ot' the ears 2() aleaf-spring 31, the tree end ot' which is adapted to engage with saidteeth and thus prevent the ring from accidentally turning loose. 'loremove. the nipple it is only necessary to lit't` the. spring 31 out ofengagement with the teeth 3() and to give one, or the other ot the lugsE27 a slight liloyiv to loosen'tho engagement of said lugs with theshoulders .22 when the ring 2G and the nipple, ltlcan he removed. Therear end of the nipple 1S) is provided with an annular recess. and inthis recess is tilted a whites` metal. lead` or other sott-metal, gasket32.

VIilonnted in the apertured boss 1S is a eontact-memlar .5 having ayrounded head :it adapted to lit against the gasket 32." The head 34 isprovided with an annular shoulder :i5 which is opposed to a similarshoulder 1*.1 provided at the base. oi' the aperture ol' the, boss lh. Aspace 87 is normally provided between the shoulders. 'l`lie outer tace`lib' ol` the contaet-nremler 33 projects slightly bevond tho outer faceof the coupliug-head. as more clearly illustrated in' Fig'. .1); so thatwhen the twol coupling heads are brought together the correspond ingfaces 3S ot' the corresponding Contact members 3u will engage each otherand form a steam-tight joint. In the couplingr operation thcispace 3Tpermits of a slight playot' the ciintiu't-member 33 in the event thatthe faces 25H ol the opposing contaetmembers do not engage uniformly atall. points, which frequently occurs when the cars are coupled on acurve. The shoulder 25o ot course prevents the contact-member 33 fromfalling out oi the coupling-head. "hen opposing cimpliug-heiulsare`lirought together the corresponding contactanembers 33 are forcedwith great pressure against their respective gaskets 25:2. and thesebeing ot' solt metal, permit of a lirm steanntight joint beingmaintained between the contact members and the inner end of each nipple.

In the caseot' the nipples 15 and 1T. which are for connectingtheaiipipes.` in place of the softauetal gaskets used with thosteam-pipeabove described, I use rubber gaskets (il, which project beyond themeeting faces of the respective coupling heads and are brought intopressure contact to provide air-tight joints when the cou plers areconnected. as will be understood.

The lockinhriues lit are the Same in conwith the recess 2f).

The plunger 5 is slidably mounted in the bracket 'i' and .is provided onopposite sides with corresponding slots 3S) through which extends ahollow' pin 4() which is mounted in the bracket T. Projecting rearwardlyfrom the center of each coupling-head is hollow arm vtt having oppositefiat. parallel faces at its top and bottom the outerend of this armbeing inserted and pivotally mo1lnted in the inner end ot' the plunger 5through the medium ol a hollow pin 42 passing through ysuitableapertures in the plunger and in the. arm 41. Shoulders 43 are providedon the arm l1 to limit its turning movement by contact with the sidewalls of the plunger. The numeral -lt indicates @a bracket which issecured at one end to the side of the arm il and at its outer end to theouter side wall of the projection 12. livotall v mounted at -ti in thisbracket is a bcll-crank lever lli having a long arm 4T and al shortarni4H. Slidably mounted in the ouler wall ot' the projection 1:2 is alocking-member l!) having a stem 5() slidably engaging in the side wallof the arm 41. Hurroumliug the stem 5U and interposed between thc sidewall of the arm 41 and the inner end ol' tbc linking-member 49 is a coilspringl 5l which tends` normally to torce lbc locking-nwmlwr 49 outward.When the coupling-heads are iu engageuicnt .his l1wkingamznbcr Awillthus engage behind the rliiu. 51% ot the opposing couplinghead, 'whichsii'rround s, the

opening 13 before referred to. Mountedat aonaend in thefholloa pin 40isa'vfrod 53 having. nuts 54 'applied .tol its end to .pref

ventk it lfrom being pulled, through the. pin. Theopposite" endofftherod 53 is adapted to Work through :openings in the hollow pin arm48 osaid leverisflllocatedA within a re- 4 and, engages.tliefinnerv Wallof said recess.

Mounted withinltlie plunger 5 and surrounding 'the rodfh53" is .lac'oilspring57 havingk one end supportedfon vshoulder-fed sleever l Q58 which`engage'sltlie pin `l1/,Bland 'its other end onra similarusleeve59, whichis held by 20 the spi-ing 57m engfagemcntwith theinner end of the arm41.

With thecars ini-the uncoupled relation il; will be seen that,witlrthe"construction described, the spring 'l'willuforce the plunger 5outward, thereby moving theco-uplinghead 3 and the bell-crank lever 46away from the inner end of the rod 5,3, and the pull of the arm 47 onthe chain 55 -will Iirst draw said chain taut and then cause the arm 47to be swung on its pivot 45, which opera .tin moves the arm. 48 inwardland forces the 'couplings 1 and 2. vWhen the two cars are coupled,Atherefore, the couplm'gheads 3f,

and 4 first come into engagement, and 'the plungers 5, 6, are forcedrearwardly in their respective brackets 7 inthe continuedumeetingmovement of the cars to permit them to couple. As each conplinghead withits plunger is thus moved ,rearwardly its spring 57 is compressed, andtheinner end of the arm 47 is brought nearer to the outer end ol the rod53. Thisacts to release the arm i7 by slackening the chainand per# mitsthe spring 51 tothrow the locking l member 49 ,outwardl to engage overthe rim 52, such position "of the 4parts being more clearly illustratedin Fig. 2. The springs 51 and 57 aresubstantially of the same strength,but the spring 57 is enabled to overcome the power of the spring 51 byreason of the reater leverage afforded. by the length ov the arm 47. Animportant feature of this construction is the fact that thelockinganember' 49 1noves in right lines in a horizontal plane and itsmovement is thus' accomplished with the minimum amount of frictiona'lresistance; and this construction also prdvides the highest v measure ofsecurity asto its locking function, as 1t 1s practically `impossible`forJ 'nieve betweenfthefcoupling-heads"totend y ythe l(ifcking-member49l inward`, "the pir thereonbeing necessarily at right itslineof'movem'ent. l y "1 The 4en',gfag'emerit"of the-inneri'` de `f arm'541 with the sleeve 59 provides fo" ltoma'tialjly, adjusting rthearfn41S. y

position 'after'its displacement. That ',sayflif thef'arm 41jb`le turned'ab 42 to onffsidythe sleeve 59K that side against the resistance 'ofyt57.v Asfsmm, as''the 'pressure ,"torted the position'of thearm4 fthe"spring`57 .willtfnce opeA te the parts to normal positief.

In order lto provide forfthe esap f densed steam`from the nipple `1 a"pipev connected therewith, -Iprovi'de/L turc the bott'ornofthe nipp a'screwlthread d ttgerture`IY` in therewith in the boss' 29?' 'O thenipple'.l Coperalti'ngA with tlie isa 4zineyme 0ther,.piug ye1 ,ha y,threaded-head 462`Securely" seal'e n s screw-threaded aperture. @Thelowerend of' the plug 61 is tapered to correspond with tapered Walls ofthe opening 60, and when the couplers are "in use thev heat of thehsteam causes the plug l'to expand and close 'i the aperture 60. Whenthe coupling heads are uncoupled, or 'when no steam is vpassing throughthe steam-pipe, lthe nipple 19 will cool off and the plug (il wi1l 'accodingly'k contract and open theaperture 60 y. nd permit water ofcondensation to drip through the same;` y The numerals 63 indicateelectrical contactplugs, but these,- with their connections,

formno part of the presentinvention.

' `The numeral. 65 indicates a cup mounted on the bracket 7 in which ismonted an adjustable spring-.controlled support 66' for .the

'plunger 5 and its coupling-head, thecon-- struction in thisregard-beingsubstantially" `the same as shown 1n my application above referred to,It may be stated, however, that `in they present case lI prefer torio'rinthe bracket17 and cup 65 in,A two parts, kwhich arey connectedtogetherby bolts or the like;

indicated generally 67, as' wella's by 'the izo" slots, a coupling-headpivotally mounted'on y saidvplunger, a coil. spring'located in saidplunger .and interposed between said coulocking-member slidably lmountedin said coupling-head and. movableoutwardly beyond the 'surface thereof,and means operapling-head and said pin, a'sping-controlled o -tween thebracket and the coupling-head' and tending normally to force the plungerand eouphng-head outward, a locking-meinber slidably mounted in saidcoupling-head,`

a bell-"crank lever pivotally mounted on the ,coupling-head forAactuating said lockingmember, a rod mounted on said bracket andextending through said plunger, and a chain connecting: the free end ofsaid rod undone end of said bell-crank lever. y

In a train-pipe coupling, a brackewjfa plunger slidablv mounted therein,a coilplingehead, a pin pivot-ally eonnectilngY said coupling-head andplunger, a spring located within the plunger and interposed between thecoupling-head and said bracket, a rod mounted on the bracket andextending longitudinally through said plunger and adapted to worktlu'oughan opening in said' slidably mounted in said couplingdlead, a

bell-crank lever pivotally mounted on said coupling-head for actuatingsaid lockinginember, and a chain connecting said rod and one arm of saidbell-crank lever.

el. In a train-pipe coupling, a bracket, a plunger mounted therein, acoupling-head pivotally mounted on said plunger, a spring interposedbetween said bracket and said Coupling-head, a spring-controlled lockingmember slidably mounted in said couplingllead to more in right lines atright angles to the line of draft, and means operatively connecting saidlockingqnember with said bracket for normally holding saidlockingineinber retracted under the action of said interposed spring andagainst the resistance of the spring of the locking-member.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my'hand in presence of twosubscribing witnesses. i Y

' VOTAW S. DURBIN. Witnesses:

A STELLA HILL, G. A.` PnNNIxeToN.

